Surgical splint



`v sept. 8,1953

Filed Nov. 15, 1951 c. T. BERRY suRGicAr. SPLINT A zs'neets-sheet 1 JNVENTOR: CHARLEST. BERRY I c. T,BERRY SURGICAL SPLINT' Fil'ed Nov.` 13. 1951.

INVENTOR:

Patented Sept. 8, 1953 NT OFFICE f f SURGICAL 'SPLINT Charles T. Berry,

Berry and Levy Greenville, Miss., assignor to Enterprises, a partnership Application November 13, 1951, Serial No. 256,089 4 Claims. (Cl. 1728-87) This invention relates to splints and particularly such as are used for immobilizing broken bones.

'Ihe main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of splint bandage, which can be folded into very compact form when not inxuse and which, when applied to an injury, can beinflated to produce the required support for immobilizing the part of a human or animal body to which it is applied; to provide a structure of this kind that can be readily reinforced by the application of stiffening membersl in the nature of battens. that are. readily removable and so applied as to: oder no interference with the in- .ating of the bandage; and rto provide improved vair cells in a partly inated condition.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlargement of a portion of Fig. l, to illustrate an appropriate form of slit for the insertion and removal of battens in the pockets'that areprovided therefor.

Fig. 4 is an inside View of a splint of the same structure as is shown in'Fig. 1, 'showing the same equipped with a foot immobilizing brace.

Fig. is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the splint is Wrapped about the leg of a, person with the foot immobilizing brace in place.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

In the form shown, the body portion of the splint comprises two sheets -of airtight, non-resilient and waterproof, exible fabric, as for eX- ample, vinyl plastic, which are laid one upon the other and sealed together along certain lines. In the form illustrated, these sheets are of like form, being made of sheeting sulciently heavy for the purpose and being sealed in airtight connection to each other along certain lines, as for example, by application of heat and pressure by means of an appropriate die. The isosceles trapezoidal form with its parallel sides transverse to its longitudinal dimension as shown in Fig. 1 is appropriate for wrapping the device about a persons arm or leg, as Will be understood.

In the form shown in Fig. 1, the upper or outer sheet I is of the same external contour as the inner sheet 2 and the two sheets are attached to each other in airtight relation along all marginal edges and also along certain longitudinal lines. The longitudinal sealing lines 3 isolate the central inllatable area from the non-inllated flexible marginal side areas 4. Intermediate and symmetrically arranged between these marginal side areas and preferably in uniformly spaced relation to each other are a series of uninflated flexible strips 5 bounded by parallel sealing-lines 6 that are connected in pairs at their ends 'I so as to isolate them from adjacent inflatable spaces or cells 9.

An appropriate air-supply nipple 8 is mounted through the -outer sheet I. A valve 8.I land a lrubber pumping bulb I 0 are shown by Way of example of well-known means for inflating the communicating air cells formed within the area bounded by the side lines 3 and the topand bottom sealing lines II and I2 respectively.` The pump bulb l0 has the usual valved air inlet I3.

Certain of the exible strips 5 serveas batten pockets and are provided with slots I4 adjacent their .upper ends `to permit stays or battens I5 of suitable material, such as hard Woodor metal,

.to Vbe inserted or removed from the pockets. "As

shown the slots I4 are cut only in the Vupper sh'eetl.

Vv 'rwdof the nexibie 'strips 5J, lsuitably located .with respect to each other and to the side margins .of the splint, are equipped with lacing hooks I6 which may be attached to the strip by eyelet rivets I1 bearing against washers I8, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

A pair of flexible strips 5.2 having openings I4.I at their lower ends, preferably on the inside face of the splint to receive the arms 20 of a stili' U-shaped wire frame 2l in the manner shown in Fig. 4. Slidably mounted on this frame is a foot brace 22 of U-shape that can be fastened in various positions of adjustment along the arms 20 by set screws 23. This brace permits the foot of the patient to be strapped to the member 22 so as to immobilize the foot of the leg of the patient that is wrapped with the splint, as shown in Fig. 5.

The operation of the device shown is as follows: The wounded limb of the patient is l'lrst appropriately bandaged. The splint in uninated or partly inated form is then wrapped around the limb with its liexible marginal portions 4 overlapping so as to completely enclose the limb. The device is now secured in place by lacing cords I9 passing back and forth over the overlapped edges of the splint between the rows of hooks I6 leg, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the cells are :fur-

ther inflated, according to the physicians judgment, to a desired pressure against the surface of the bandages on the patients leg. After the splint is properly inflated to immobilize the part that is enclosed by the Wrapper, the pump or bulb l0 may be detached from the nipple B `so'as to be out of the way.

'The sealing nlines 3, :Bland 1 are continuou'sand Sliiciently impervious to air flow to assure that theifiexible strips v5 and the marginal areas `4 are nonsinnatable.

Although but onespe'cific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will beunderstoo'd that numerous details of the constructlonfshown may be 'altered or omitted without departing ffror'n the spirit of the invention as defined v`by the VKfollowing claims.

1. .'.Asurgical splint, comprising `a pair of sheets of flexible and airtight fabric, sealed together on ailfsides to forman inflatable body, means for inilating 'said body, said sheets being sealed together Aon a series of laterally 'spaced pairs of parallel .longitudinal lines dening long narrow batteri pockets extending throughout the .major 'part -of thelength of the splint, said Vsheets being uither sealed `together vbetween said 'parallel lines to close the 'ends 'of said batten pockets `against communication with the inflatable portion of the splint and certain ones of said batten pockets 'having A'external vopenings at one end for insertion and-removal of battens.

2. Asurgicall splint, comprising a flexible wrap- '.perof trapez'oidal form having thereon a plurality of longitudinally disposed inflatable tubes spaced apart side by side in symmetricalrelation 'to rthe inclined sides Vof the Wrapper with nonnfla'table strips between them, and a pair of longitudinal rows of lacing hooks on individually separate ones of said strips.

3. A surgical splint, comprising a flexible wrapper having a plurality of longitudinally disposed inflatable tubes spaced apart side by side with non-inflatable tubular strips between them, rows of lacing cord attaching devices attached along a spaced pair of said non-inflatable strips for lacing them together at .pointsalong the splint, anda foot immobilizing brace'comprising a pair of longitudinally disposed supporting arms, a pair lof said non-inflatable strips symmetrically located between the longitudinal margins of said Wrapper and being formed and adapted to receive 4andsecure therespective arms of said foot brace.

4. A'surgi'cal splint, comprising an inner flexible sheet of airtight waterproof fabric of substantially isosceles trapezoidal form, having its parallel sides transverse to its long dimension, an outer flexible sheet attached to said inner sheet and forming therewith a plurality of communicating inii'atable'tubular cells extending longitudinally of said sheets and symmetrically spaced side by side between 'the inclined sides of the trapezoid, a foot immobilizing brace comprising a pair of substantially parallel supporting arms, said sheets having 'non-inflatable longitudinal marginal naps and having inch-inflatable strips separating "said inflatable cells, one Pair of said non-inflatable strips :that are 'symmetrically lo 'cated With respect to the 'side .margins 'of said sheets being tubular land .adapted to receive and secure the respective :arms of :said foot brace. and apair of longitudinal rows of vlacing cord hooks attached to Arespectivesaid'non-inflatable strips located between :said one pair of non-inflatable strips and said marginal aps for securing `said sheet when wrappedaround a persons leg` vCI-lllRLlS T. BERRY.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 653,179 Hughes July 3, -1900 699,778 Upham May 13, 1902 1,070,869 Alexander Aug.. 19, -1913 1,916,789 Fordham July 4, 1933 2,028,060 'Gilbert A Jan. 14., 1936 2,522,079 Winstead "Sept` 12, 1950 

